Babu Degya by Gulzaar Chhaniwala

Some songs are made for a single moment. Babu Degya is made for all of them. Credit goes to Gulzaar Chhaniwala for a score that understands exactly what the song needs and nothing more.

There are singers who perform songs and singers who live inside them. On Babu Degya, Gulzaar Chhaniwala clearly belongs in the second group. Hearing Babu Degya without thinking of a talented ensemble cast is almost impossible for anyone who has seen Babu Degya.

2021 was a strong year for Haryanvi music, and Babu Degya was among the reasons why. It is the kind of track that works at full volume with friends and equally well in a quiet room alone — the mood adjusts without the song changing.

The 3:08 runtime feels perfectly judged — long enough to develop its ideas, short enough to compel a second play. This is music that holds up — not because it is perfect, but because it is honest, and honesty in a song is irreplaceable.